Winnebago added transit latches on Whirlpool frig failed

Question

Winnebago added a latch to the top of each door of the residential frig in our 40R to secure the doors. The latches are the typical cabinet latch with the hook on one side and flap catch on the other. It is a good idea in theory but poorly executed.

The problem is that the catch has pulled loose from the top of the frig. The case of the frig is very thin metal so the sheet metal screws have to bite into. Thread locker didn't work.

I called Winnebago support and they said take it to the dealer. Not on your life. I'm sure they're solution would be a bigger diameter screw which would pull loose too.

I'm really stumped on the solution. I can't access the under side of the frig case to use screw and nut. The only solution I can come up with is to use some type of adhesive to bond the plastic latch to the top of the metal case and use a larger diameter sheet metal screw. If this isn't possible, anybody got a good solution for door latches that will hold in transit.

Suggestions? I can always fall back on the bungee cord.

cmeade · Answer

I suggest pop rivets. Just insert in latch and screw hole then squeeze the rivet tool and it expands in hole.

drewe · Answer

If you can find a latch that's made of something other than plastic (such as perhaps a metal double-hung window latch), you could attach it to the door with epoxy, possibly with a filler of some sort for better gap filling properties, for a permanent installation.  Many plastics do not adhere well to most epoxies.

j-d · Answer

I thought pop rivets too. The common ones are 1/8" diameter in both steel and aluminum plus 3/16" aluminum. There are other sizes. I believe some snow machine treads involve 3/16" steel but that could be outdated information. The man who told me about those said that it took a hydraulically operated tool to set those because of the force needed to crimp the steel.
Perhaps pop rivet the catch through a larger plate that was thicker than the fridge's metal and then also riveted in a couple other places. Say the catch has two holes and two holes are stripped out of the fridge. Make a plate big enough to have four or six holes. Two go through the catch, the plate, and the fridge. The other two or four go through only plate and fridge.
The pop rivets come in different "grip lengths" for thicknesses to be connected.

coolmom42 · Answer

You could try some 3M VHB tape, instead of making a bigger hole in the metal.  That stuff really works.  People use it to put solar panels on the RV roof.

chris_bryant · Answer

Pop rivets or rivnuts- you can install rivnuts without a special tool if needed. 3M VHB mounting tape should work, as well.

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Winnebago added transit latches on Whirlpool frig failed

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